San Antonio artist marks Uvalde school shooting with special gift to grieving community

Rex Hausman was victim of a shooting when he was in college

UVALDE, Texas – A San Antonio man whose paint explodes onto canvases around the world is marking the one year since the Uvalde school shooting with a special gift to the still hurting community.

Rex Hausman, himself a shooting victim when he was much younger, wanted to send a message to the children and families who survived the school shooting, so he painted for them. The painting is part of his popular “Hunting Blind” series, and was created at a hunting location in the Uvalde area last year. Today, it hangs in the Ecumenical Center where the community of Uvalde searches for healing.

“It’s an offering. Like life happens, dude. Like bad things happen to good people. And I think that’s what people have the hardest time with. The hardest thing is not getting shot, it’s the why. Why did this happen to me? God allowed this stuff to happen,” said Hausman in explaining the title of the piece, Ofrenda.

When Hausman was a student in Pennsylvania earning his masters degree in art, he, too, was a victim of gun violence. While walking home from class he was ambushed by gang members who were initiating new members.

”There was one dude that day who was pulling the gun, one guy watching, and then two guys in the car,” Hausman remembers. He was later told by police that he was incredibly lucky to survive because the target is usually dead. Hausman went through long rehabilitation, barely able to use his legs. But he could use his art, which he did.

“Through the Lord’s Prayer, I forgave the guy and internally, I guess that heals a lot. But externally it makes you do stuff like this, and you’re so thankful for life, like you’re so thankful for every day. You’re so thankful that you can paint,” he said. Hausman paints every day at his family’s studio Hausman Millworks.

His paintings can earn tens of thousands of dollars today, including one that recently sold at a fundraiser for the Missions for $20,000. His following is growing, and so is his message. The Uvalde Ofrenda painting hung in the Vatican’s Sheen Center in New York City earlier this year. It was then brought to Uvalde.

Hausman’s faith is strong. He has forgiven his shooters and found a future. He said he prays that the people of Uvalde will, too.

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About the Author:

Ursula Pari has been a staple of television news in Texas at KSAT 12 News since 1996 and a veteran of broadcast journalism for more than 30 years.